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Nature
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As grandiose as we might think our civilizations have become, we are but the latest entry in the long chronicle detailing life on Earth. We humans share this planet with fellow organisms whose vast numbers completely tower over our own. We borrowed this planet from its previous inhabitants from eons ago and whose lives were written on the soil-turned-rock on which they were laid to rest. Modern Sciences urges its readers to contemplate our planetary co-inhabitants, both past and present.
How Fire, Not Spears, Wiped Out America’s Giants
Researchers at the La Brea Tar Pits discovered that a combination of climate change and massive, human-sparked wildfires—not just hunting—led to the extinction of North America’s megafauna.
How climate change is making Europe’s fish move to new waters
Atlantic cod and pollock. andrzej_67/Shutterstock, CC BY-NC-ND Sevrine Sailley, Plymouth Marine Laboratory Climate change is reshaping fish habitats.…
Greenland fossil jaw may be oldest known docodontan
A newly discovered fossil jawbone from Greenland, Nujalikodon cassiopeiae, has been identified as the oldest definitive docodontan, providing key insights into the evolution and dispersal of early mammal relatives.
Gut bacteria digest food additives, new study finds
A new study reveals that human gut bacteria can digest common "indigestible" cellulose-based food additives when primed by natural dietary fiber found in fruits and vegetables.
The 170-Year-Old Experiment Hiding in This Field
For nearly 170 years, a simple patch of grass in England has been the site of the world's longest-running scientific experiment, revealing foundational truths about agriculture, evolution, and climate change.
Cave reveals 75,000-year-old Arctic world in Norway
A 75,000-year-old animal community discovered in a Norwegian cave reveals how ancient Arctic species responded to and ultimately failed to survive dramatic climate shifts.
As human teams get bigger, they get less efficient. But these ants have found a solution
Chris Reid Chris R. Reid, Macquarie University and Daniele Carlesso, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Have you…
Safe no more: off-the-charts marine heat has severely damaged Ningaloo and other pristine coral reefs
Safe no more: off-the-charts marine heat has severely damaged Ningaloo and other pristine coral reefs James Paton Gilmour, Australian…
Wolves carry pups miles to follow migrating elk herds
Challenging long-held beliefs, a new study reveals gray wolves in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem will migrate long distances with their young pups to hunt migrating elk.
Study: Potato is an ancient hybrid of tomato-like plant
A new genomic study reveals the potato's signature tuber originated from an ancient hybridization between tomato-like and potato-like species millions of years ago.